So let’s see what we’ve learned:
- If you give up sugar for three days, the craving does not go away. I just had a sundae and it was delicious.
- That 2000 word a night thing does not work if the words aren’t in your brain. I reread those 2000+ words from last night. They stink on ice.
- Some of us aren’t linear thinkers.
But I’m on it. I’ve got the collage started, I’ve got people talking in my head, and I’ve got an outline with beats. What I did get done today: Brainstorming for DLD marketing, beginnings of collage, and internet research. (It’s not like I didn’t work. I swear.) Tomorrow I’m going out for more Diet Coke and pretzels and trying this again.
So I’m behind what now? 4000 words?
Argh.
I’ve found that the best thing you can do when writing a story is to talk to the people in your head about it. After all they’re the ones in charge up there 😉
The sad thing (for me) is that your 2000+ words that “sink on ice” are still better than the ones I wrote yesterday. I love that the characters are now talking to each other in your head
Ooohh, what’s this collage of which you speak? Sounds very interesting.
You are being productive. This is good. And if out of 2000 words that stink, I can cull 200 that don’t, I feel like I’ve had a great day.
Have another sundae. It helps. Really. Feeds the brain and all…well, maybe not but it sure tastes dang good.
Jenny and all other writers, here is a meal plan that REALLY helps a creative person think: icy cold diet coke with fresh lime squeezed in, a chili-cheese dog (I’ve got a good recipe if you need it), or maybe some chili-cheese fries w/sour cream, and top it off with a piece of Hershey Cocoa Cake.
I was on a brain-blow out when trying to finish a research paper for a presentation. My husband fixed me this meal and WHAM! the words flowed and the presentation was wonderful!!
It was this food combination…really…
Putting garbage on a page is worthwhile, because now you and your subconscious have something to react to.
As a freelance advertising writer who brings in about 75% of the family income, I also follow these Writer’s Internet Safety Rules:
1. Eliminate e-mail checks from your writing rhythm. If you’re checking e-mail more than once an hour as you write, you’re messing with those inner voices. Tempted? Close the damn browser.
2. Set a time limit–even use a buzzer–when you do Internet research. You know why.
3. Save blogging as a reward for doing your work. Calling the effort we put into our well-crafted posts “practice writing” is like saying we drive ten miles to the mall to warm up the car’s engine. Remember, when you’re writing your blog, you’re not writing your book.
Oops, there goes my buzzer.
Tsk tsk.
Well, Bob, tsk, yourself. Our Jenny is building the love, and love sells books and keeps us happy.
And ol’ biddy, Jenny is a self-confessed slow writer. Let us Cherries have our Jenny fix this way, since we’re going to have to wait for the book anyway.
We love you, J. Don’t stop blogging.
Jenny, I hate to tell you but the new television season has been pretty good so far. Not too happy about West Wing on Sunday, but I will have to adjust.
Then there is all the Hurricane reporting to watch.
Does Trudy live near the coast? A Christmas hurricane? Is that wicked enough for Bob?
I love the blog thoughts.
Look here, what is this with the beats? The story I heard was that some drama guy/gal was teaching Stanislavsky in NY (pre Lee Strasburg) and was asking which bits to rehearse, but with that funky Russian accent it came out as beats. I’ve never heard of beats in fiction….In Neil Labute, yes, but do you really want to go down that all men are bastards, all women are victims route? I think not.